CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF RHODEISLAND AND PROVIDENCEPLANTATIONS

PREAMBLE

We, the people of the State of Rhode Island and ProvidencePlantations, grateful to Almighty God for
the civil and religious libertywhich Hehathsolongpermittedustoenjoy,andlookingtoHimforablessing uponourendeavorstosecureandtotransmitthesame,unimpaired,to succeedinggenerations,doordainandestablishthisConstitutionof government.

ARTICLEIX

OF THE EXECUTIVEPOWER

Section 1.Power vested ingovernor.

The chief
executive power of this state shall be vested in agovernor, who,togetherwithalieutenantgovernor,shallbeelectedbythepeople.

Section 2.Faithful execution oflaws.

The
governor shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.

Section 3. Captain general and commander in chief of military andnavy.

The
governor shall be captain general and commander in chief ofthe military and naval forces of this
state, except when they shall becalled
into the service of the UnitedStates.

Section 4.Reprieves.

Thegovernorshallhavepowertograntreprieves,afterconviction,in allcases,exceptthoseofimpeachment,untiltheendofthenextsession of the generalassembly.

Section 5.Powers ofappointment.

Thegovernorshall,byandwiththeadviceandconsentofthesenate, appoint all officers of the state
whose appointment is notherein otherwiseprovidedforandallmembersofanyboard,commissionor other state or quasi-public entity
which exercises executivepower under
the laws of this state; but the general assembly may by lawvest theappointmentofsuchinferiorofficers,astheydeemproper,inthe governor, or within
their respective departments in the othergeneral
officers, the judiciary or in the heads of departments.

Section 6.Adjournment of generalassembly.

In case of
disagreement between the two houses of thegeneral
assembly,respectingthetimeorplaceofadjournment,certifiedby either,thegovernormayadjournthemtosuchtimeandplaceasthe
governorshallthinkproper;provided,thatthetimeofadjournment shall not be extended beyond
the day of the next stated session.

Section 7. Convening of special
sessions of the generalassembly.

The
governor may, on extraordinary occasions, convene the general assembly at any
town or city in this state, at any time not provided for by law; and in case of
danger from the prevalence of epidemic or contagious disease, in the place in
which the general assembly is by law to meet, or to which it may have been
adjourned, or for other urgent reasons, the governor may by proclamation
convene said assembly at any other place within this state.

Section 8.Commissions.

AllcommissionsshallbeinthenameandbyauthorityoftheStateof RhodeIslandandProvidencePlantations;shallbesealedwiththestate seal, signed by the governor, and
attested by the secretary.

Section 9.Vacancy in
office ofgovernor.

If the office of the governor shall be vacant by
reason ofdeath, resignation,impeachmentorinabilitytoserve,thelieutenantgovernor shall fill the office of governor, and exercise the
powers andauthority appertainingthereto,untilagovernorisqualifiedtoact,oruntilthe office
is filled at the nextelection.

Section 10. Vacancies in both offices of governor andlieutenant
governor.

If the offices of governor and lieutenant
governor be both vacantby reasonofdeath,resignation,impeachment,orinabilitytoserve,the speakerofthehouseofrepresentativesshallinlikemannerfillthe
office of governor during suchvacancy.

Section 11. Compensation of governor and lieutenantgovernor.

The
compensation of the governor and lieutenant governor shallbe establishedbylaw,andshallnotbediminishedduringthetermfor
which they areelected.

Section 12. Powers and duties of secretary,attorney-general, and generaltreasurer.

The duties
and powers of the secretary, attorney-general
andgeneral treasurer shall be the
same under this Constitution as arenow
established, or as from time to time may be prescribed by law.

Every
bill, resolution, or vote (except such as relate toadjournment, theorganizationorconductofeitherorbothhousesofthegeneral assembly, and
resolutions proposing amendment to theConstitution)
which shall have passed both houses of the general assembly shallbe presentedtothegovernor.Ifthegovernorapproveitthegovernorshall signit,andthereuponitshallbecomeoperative,butifthegovernor
doesnotapproveitthegovernorshallreturnit,accompaniedbythe governor’sobjectionsinwritingtothehouseinwhichitoriginated, which shall enter the governor’s
objections in full upon its journaland
proceedtoreconsiderit.If,aftersuchreconsideration,three-fifthsofthe members present
and voting in that house shall vote to passthe measure,itshallbesentwiththeobjections,totheotherhouse,by which it shall likewise be
reconsidered, and if approved bythree-fifths
of the members present and voting in that house, it shallbecome operativeinthesamemannerasifthegovernorhadapprovedit,butin suchcasesthevotesofbothhousesshallbedeterminedbyayesand naysandthenamesofthemembersvotingforandagainstthemeasure
shallbeentereduponthejournalofeachhouse,respectively.Ifthe measureshallnotbereturnedbythegovernorwithinsixdays(Sundays
excepted) after it shall have been presented to the governor thesame shall become operative unless the
general assembly, byadjournment, preventsitsreturn,inwhichcaseitshallbecomeoperativeunless transmittedbythegovernortothesecretaryofstate,withthegovernor’s disapproval in writing within
ten days after such adjournment.

Section 15.Statebudget.

The
governor shall prepare and present to the general assemblyan annual, consolidated operating and
capital improvement statebudget.

Section 16. Limitation on state
spending.

(a)Noappropriation,supplementalappropriationorbudgetactshall cause the aggregate
state general revenue appropriations enactedin any given fiscal year to exceed ninety-seven percent (97%) ofthe estimated state general revenues for
such fiscal year from allsources, including
estimated unencumbered general revenues to the newfiscal year remaining at the end of the previous fiscal year.Estimated
unencumberedgeneralrevenuesarecalculatedbytakingtheestimated
generalrevenuecashbalanceattheendofthefiscalyearlessestimated revenueanticipationbondsornotes,estimatedgeneralrevenueencumbrances, estimated continuing
general revenue appropriations andthe
amount of the budget reserve account at the end of said fiscal year.

(b)Theamountbetweentheapplicablepercentagein(a)andone
hundred percent (100%) of the estimated state general revenue forany fiscalyearasestimatedinaccordancewithsubsection(a)ofthissection
shall be appropriated in any given fiscal year into the budgetreserve account; provided, however, that no such payment will be madewhich wouldincreasethetotalofthebudgetreserveaccounttomorethanfive
percent(5%)ofonlytheestimatedstategeneralrevenuesassetby subsection (a) of this section. In the
event that the payment to bemade intothebudgetreserveaccountwouldincreasetheamountinsaid
account to more than five percent (5%) of estimated stategeneral revenuesthatsaidamountshallbetransferredtotheRhodeIsland
Capital Plan fund to be used solely for funding capitalprojects.

(c)Withinforty-five(45)daysafterthecloseofanyfiscalyear,all unencumbered general revenue in the
year end surplus accountfrom the
said fiscal year shall be transferred to the generalfund.

Section 17.Budget reserveaccount.

Thereisherebyestablishedabudgetreserveaccountwithinthe general fund. Revenues in this budget
reserve account may beappropriatedintheeventofanemergencyinvolvingthehealth,safetyor
welfare of the citizens of the state of Rhode Island or in the event ofan unanticipated deficit in any given
fiscal year, such appropriations tobe approved by a majority vote of each
house of the general assembly.